Body Sculpture Theatre as represented by the group to the left, is a pedagogical strategy, created by Augusto Boal.
Used as a form of literature response, participants think of an abstract noun or big idea within the literature to portray in a body sculpture. The rest of the class gets to "come visit the art gallery" and return to their seats to write down what each person in the sculpture was portraying. This kinesthetic/somatic activity gets students thinking about the literature in new ways, and discussing the novel via new vocabulary words, all with gently nuanced definitions.
Dramatic Role Play and the arts in the literature classroom
We learn through experience. The opportunity to create meaning through drama as a response to literature is a way to use many ways of knowing and critical thinking. While writing monologues, students use the skill of summarizing. THey "become" the characters they have only known from a distance as readers. THey become participants in the storyworld.
Building a Jackdaw, gives students the opportunity to seek out one object that becomes a symbol for a "retelling" event in the classroom. As each student presents the object and explains the significance of it in relation to the story, trust and classroom community is strengthened. Students get a chance to project their unique voices as they place their unique objects on the table one by one.
Our Jackdaw on the novel, Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos
Below are some pictures / video of body sculpture theatre and dramatic role play in our classroom this semester
Dramatic Role Play based on Dead End in Norvelt.
Used as a form of literature response, participants think of an abstract noun or big idea within the literature to portray in a body sculpture. The rest of the class gets to "come visit the art gallery" and return to their seats to write down what each person in the sculpture was portraying. This kinesthetic/somatic activity gets students thinking about the literature in new ways, and discussing the novel via new vocabulary words, all with gently nuanced definitions.
Dramatic Role Play and the arts in the literature classroom
We learn through experience. The opportunity to create meaning through drama as a response to literature is a way to use many ways of knowing and critical thinking. While writing monologues, students use the skill of summarizing. THey "become" the characters they have only known from a distance as readers. THey become participants in the storyworld.
Building a Jackdaw, gives students the opportunity to seek out one object that becomes a symbol for a "retelling" event in the classroom. As each student presents the object and explains the significance of it in relation to the story, trust and classroom community is strengthened. Students get a chance to project their unique voices as they place their unique objects on the table one by one.
Our Jackdaw on the novel, Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos
Below are some pictures / video of body sculpture theatre and dramatic role play in our classroom this semester